The Ascendant

By Harrison Smith

It is the twenty-third century and Elijah Harms is anything but ordinary. He, the one who has a special connection to light, came to New Haven City after his parents died in a conflict between naturally-born humans and the modified. War, hardship, and being the father figure to his younger siblings has made Elijah feel older than most twenty-year-olds. Despite his challenges, Elijah’s spirits are buoyed by his friendships with Honoria Eden and Endre Gran.

One day as the three friends gather in the center of the city to hear who has been chosen to join the Sanctum, become a paladin, and push for peace with The Dominion, everything changes in moments. After a sudden attack by unknown forces robs the city of its baron, its peace, and many of its citizens, Elijah soon realizes that the world he once knew no longer exists. After he separates from his injured friends to check on his family, Elijah is pursued by evil mercenaries. He is their target, but why? When he is unexpectedly saved by the paladin of the Sanctum’s infantry unit, Elijah and his friends are led down a path none ever could have imagined.

In this futuristic tale, a young man, his friends, and a paladin must band together to combat a group of malicious mercenaries intent on destroying their world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Sep 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781532080234

Harrison Smith

Harrison Smith is nineteen years old, originally from the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, and now lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He is currently studying abroad for a year in Valencia, Spain before returning to the United States to attend Florida State University to pursue a degree in mass communications and sports journalism.

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Copyright © 2019 Harrison Smith.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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ISBN: 978-1-5320-8024-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-8023-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019913193

iUniverse rev. date: 09/27/2019

Contents

Acknowledgment

About the Author

Chapter 1 Skylight

Chapter 2 Could It Be You?

Chapter 3 To Lend a Hand

Chapter 4 Somber News

Chapter 5 Emergency Citadel

Chapter 6 The City in the Sky

Chapter 7 My Soul Is Rested

Chapter 8 The First of Many Days

Chapter 9 The Unforgiving Man

Chapter 10 Resolving Heart

Chapter 11 Mindfulness

Chapter 12 Operation Hanging Garden

Chapter 13 The Armamentarium

Chapter 14 Hanging Garden Revelations

Chapter 15 Crescent Sun

Chapter 16 Breach

Chapter 17 Hanging Garden Execution

Chapter 18 Deliverance

Chapter 19 Kingdoms Fall

Chapter 20 A Divided Kingdom

Chapter 21 Where the Road Leads

Acknowledgment

To my wonderful illustrator and editors whose talent I could not appreciate more. To my friends, my family, my loved one, for all of your love and support.

To my brother and sister. And to my mother. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for being a part of my journey..

About the Author

Harrison Smith lives in Southern California. This is his debut novel.

1

Skylight

T he sun rose over the steel city of New Haven – the last of five cities populated predominantly by naturally-born humans. It was a city full of life. Even before the sun had climbed over the dome of the sky, people would begin their day. For those who lived close to the innermost part of the city, it was nearly impossible to ignore the rumbling and chatter of the life outside. Strangely, though, Elijah found the noise to be invigorating. He lived right amid the action, or so he liked to think.

Elijah Harms was the eldest of three siblings. He lived with his brother and sister. He had short curly hair and eyes that glowed when they caught the sun. He, like many others, had come to New Haven after his parents had died in the conflict between the naturally-born humans and the modified. Ever since the tragedy, Elijah had become more than a brother to his much younger siblings. He became their guardian and a father-figure. War and hardship had forced him to grow up faster, and he felt older than most twenty-year-olds. Like a parent, he was very protective of the family that he had left.

Hey, big brother! It’s time to get up!

Before Elijah could say a word, he found himself buried under the full weight of his little brother Zak, followed by Kyra, his little sister. Zak was only ten and Kyra was nine so they didn’t weigh much. It was their morning ritual of sorts. Since coming to New Haven three years ago, the two young ones had made it their duty to show their faces to Elijah first thing in the morning. They didn’t have to do this because Elijah would see them in the common room for breakfast anyway, but he loved that they came every morning to wake him up without fail.

You know, one of these days you’re actually going to hurt me with your dogpiling, Elijah laughed.

Hopefully by then, you won’t need us to wake you up! Zak replied as he pulled the covers off his older brother. Zak was small, but he never let his size get in his way; he knew how to get around those who were much bigger than him.

I don’t know, Elijah said as he grabbed his siblings with both hands and pinned them under his arms. I’m kinda used to having you guys as my own personal alarm clocks. He laughed and swung them around a few times then ran into the common room. This kind of play was common in their home. It was also a part of their daily ritual.

Every morning, when the first light of the sun shone through the skylight of the Harms sibling’s home, the routine began. Elijah would look up into the sky and enjoy the rays. That was until his siblings, who were always woken up by the bright lights, jumped into his bed. Zak was almost a mirror image of Elijah and Kyra did her hair in pigtails the way their mother used to; both of them were the staples of Elijah’s morning.

Breakfast was always the same – with a few minor changes here and there. Elijah was not the greatest cook but knew enough to fix a decent meal for himself and his siblings. But this morning was different, and he didn’t have time to cook a meal from scratch.

We are going to have to eat quickly today, Elijah said as he pulled three trays from an upper compartment. I’ve gotta go early.

The lid of the trays had the words Source Foods printed over them. Elijah removed the lids and peered at the contents. There were four partitions in the tray, and each one had a different but equally unpleasant-looking grub. He turned around and saw the disgruntled looks on his sibling’s faces.

I don’t like tray meals, Kyra muttered.

Me neither! Zak walked over to Elijah who felt the exact same way about the meal as they did. How about you eat that and me and Kyra will cook our own breakfast today? Zak said with a puppy-dog look on his face.

Yeah and then I’ll get a call in about thirty minutes from Mrs. Abbey next door, telling me the house is on fire, Elijah joked as he brought the trays over to a little table in the corner of the room. Mrs. Abbey was the resident nanny. Many young children lived with working family members and needed supervision. She was a kind woman in her fifties whose husband had died in the same conflict as Elijah’s parents. Elijah believed that was why she was so helpful: it was because she understood their loss. The Harms sibling’s kitchen was small but so were their bedrooms, living room and the one bathroom they all shared. They lived on the first floor of a complex and were surrounded by their neighbors. It only took a few steps to get from the front door to the living room and only a few more steps to be in the kitchen. It wasn’t much, but it was home.

That wouldn’t happen if I were the head chef, Kyra said, sticking her nose in the air. She walked over to the counter with a large cup of boiling water. Source Foods was a common meal item for people who were a little tight on funds. It provided the essential nutrients and calories of an entire meal; all you had to do was add water to cook it.

Ok, how about this? Elijah grabbed the cup from his sister and began to pour small amounts into each tray. Both of you can be the head chef tonight for dinner.

You mean it? Kyra said, her eyes turning as big as saucers.

Of course. Just behave today and don’t give Mrs. Abbey a hard time.

Oh, this is so awesome! We are going to make the most awesome meal. None of that tray crap, Zak said, grinning.

He hopped on the chair and began to chew his meal loudly, his jaw working fast like a machine. In his enthusiasm, he seemed to have forgotten how much he hated the food. After that, it didn’t take very long for the three to finish their breakfast. Not the kind of feast I’d linger over, Elijah thought as he put the plates away and wiped the table clean. Elijah walked back into his room and opened the closet door adjacent to his bed.

He stared inside the closet, scrutinizing the same outfits and uniforms he’d seen almost every day for the past few years. He didn’t have the money to keep entirely up to date with fashion, but his clothes were always presentable. The left side of his closet was where he kept his working uniforms. This included cargo pants and long-sleeve shirts of different neutral colors with many pockets. The right side had his casual clothes – just simple shirts, pants with numerous straps and zippers, coats of varying sizes and several accessories that he had collected over the years. The majority of the people who lived in the innermost part of New Haven seemed concerned with their appearances, but Elijah was a bit indifferent to it. Appearances didn’t matter much to him, but he was smart enough to know that they meant a lot to those around him.

So he made sure that he and his siblings always looked appropriate in public. It took Elijah only a minute to slip on his cleanest pair of work pants and a navy blue long-sleeved shirt. He grabbed his favorite sun crest pocket-watch and shoved it in his front pocket. He buckled his black boots that had the toes covered in steel and made his way back into the living room.

Are you sure you don’t want to bring your jacket? Kyra asked. She was standing by the front door with a frown between her brows. It might get a little cold today, and I don’t want you to get sick.

Elijah looked at his sister, half wanting to refuse the offer but her concerned look and misshapen pigtails made him smile and decide otherwise. You’re right. Let me grab it.

Here you go, Zak said, quickly handing Elijah a black jacket.

Elijah looked at it for a moment and realized that it was the same jacket that his siblings had suggested he wear the day before. He had agreed yesterday to take the jacket, but it was warm, so he had left it at home. He took the jacket from his brother’s hands now and gently patted him on the head.

How about you hang on to this? Elijah reached into his pocket and pulled out the pocket watch.

But that’s your favorite! Zak said though he opened his hand to receive the gift. He stole a glance at the watch and looked up at his brother.

Dad gave it to me when he thought I was all grown up, Elijah said. Now I’m giving it to you.

Zak’s face lit up. Elijah smiled; he thought as if he had handed a winning lottery ticket to Zak and told him to keep all the winnings.

After reminding both Zak and Kyra to behave themselves with Mrs. Abbey, Elijah headed out the front door. He walked down a hallway, past a lobby and out onto the sidewalk of the bustling New Haven City. He looked around for a moment, letting himself bask in the sun. The city itself looked oddly like the inside of a grandfather clock. The buildings were made of steel, but their façades were riddled with glass windows. Gear-shaped structures ran along most of the large buildings. The city had a peculiar rustic look to it. This was because all of the last five naturally born human populated cities didn’t want to be ruled by technology.

The machines here were not intelligent and were operated by humans for humans. Ever since the conflict with the modified humans began, naturally-born humans feared that science had gone too far. They knew that machines were essentially responsible for the Great Separation. Consequently, they had returned to technology and structures developed in the early 20th century, exchanging the most recent innovations in the field for their freedom.

The sun isn’t going anywhere, said a familiar voice.

Elijah turned around, a smile already lifting the corners of his mouth. No, but the first beams of light are always the best, Honoria, he answered, grinning.

Honoria Eden was a radiant young girl with naturally violet hair. Her father Edward Eden was naturally born in Sonoma. In the same place, he had met Honoria’s mother, Savannah, a modified human. She broke the law by immigrating to Sonoma and becoming pregnant. Honoria was born naturally and without any modifications in the same city. Her lilac hair was a gift from her mother whose genes were genetically altered before her birth, like every other citizen in The Dominion. Honoria was beautiful and naturally so. She didn’t wear makeup. She didn’t need to. Elijah could barely hold a conversation with her without feeling overwhelmed by her beauty.

Are you up early for the announcement too? Elijah asked Honoria who had finally made her way through the crowd and to his side.

Yeah, I am, she replied. I’m really curious to find out who in this city is eligible to join the Sanctum and become a paladin.

The council meeting had a history of its own. Once every three years, the high officials from the Five Great Cities would gather in a prearranged location. The place of choice had much to do with the safety level of the locale – whether or not it was at any risk of being interrupted by foreign threats. These threats could come from anyone – ranging from simple protestors to mercenaries to modified humans who killed for hire.

Honoria looked at Elijah intently and said, It could be you, y’know.

Elijah’s mouth gaped open. Me? he said, looking as if his friend had expressed a farfetched idea. The truth of the matter, however, was that Honoria could be right.

When the council decided on the city and location to hold their meeting, the host city was notified 12 hours in advance. This gave the hosts just enough time to prepare for the arrival and prevents any enemies from devising an effective plan of attack. The council members discussed the current situation with The Dominion and decided who, if anyone, qualified to join them in their efforts. Joining the Sanctum is not an invitation to all; only a select few were given the opportunity to become an apprentice. From the selected people, one was chosen to go beyond and become a paladin – and only the paladin wielded true authority and power.

The paladins were the highest ranking members of the Sanctum with the same authority as a military commander. They worked together with their military counterparts and city leaders to conduct missions that were in the best interest of the Sanctum. Paladins received their rank and authority by proving themselves in combat and intelligence. Only gifted humans who had mastered their unique abilities could ever hope to reach this goal. Aside from their knowledge and expertise, paladins were respected for their power. The Paladins were the Sanctum’s secret weapons against The Dominion.

Look at me crazy all you want, Honoria said, putting her palms up. But your connection with sunlight must make you worthy of qualifying.

Honoria smiled and walked past Elijah, slightly touching his shoulder on the way.

Connection with sunlight, Elijah thought to himself. He reflected on the idea for a moment. Any passersby who would have cared to listen to Honoria’s last comment would have been rattled by it. They wouldn’t understand it, though because they did not know that Elijah was anything but normal. Ever since he could remember, Elijah had loved to be in the sun. He would play outside all day until nightfall, waiting till the last moment before the last rays of the sun died out on the horizon. Elijah could see particles of light in great detail as if he were looking at them through a powerful microscope.

Light appeared to him as beautiful bright ribbons that swam over the surface of things, touching them slightly, bathing them in splendid hues. The sun looked like a flawless crystal to him – one that emitted divine aura from its core. Even the moon was a beacon of electro-magnetic art. Over the years, Elijah learned that he could do more with this gift. In moments of extreme focus and serenity, Elijah could coerce the light around him and literally bend it to his will.

I already told you that I don’t want to work for the Sanctum or be a paladin, said Elijah as he walked behind Honoria. It seems like all they do is work and run headfirst into trouble.

He caught up to Honoria and walked past her; now, she followed him. The two of them knew these streets well enough by now to pay more attention to their conversation than where they were going. They were running a bit late, but this didn’t stop them from sneaking a look into the shop windows along the way. There were many shops in New Haven as it was the most populated of the Five Great Cities. New Haven was also home to many talented fashion designers of the era; also, some of the greatest mechanics and engineers of their times resided here. So there was always an array of gadgets and gears available for the curious tinker.

Clothing embroidered with chains, gizmos, and buckles of all sizes were available in large variety for the steampunk driven style of the city. After a few stops at random gadget stores along the way, Elijah and Honoria finally made it to the central ring of the city. Usually, this part of the metropolis was very quiet and peaceful but not that day. Most of the citizens from around the city were gathering here for the Sanctum’s arrival at the town hall.

There’s a huge crowd here, Elijah commented as he looked around to try and find a quicker way to get down the last two blocks. The streets were filling up, and Elijah could see they wouldn’t find a shortcut. He began to walk anyway, motioning Honoria to follow him.

Just then, he heard another familiar voice call out: I wouldn’t go that way!

Elijah and Honoria turned around. A tall figure forced its way against the current of the crowd and reached them.

I didn’t think you were going to be able to make it, Endre, Elijah said by way of greeting.

Yeah, didn’t you have to finish that project for your company? Honoria asked.

I did, but my boss is an old drunk and won’t know I’m gone for a while. Besides, business is slow today because everyone is here, Endre answered. He glanced at the crowd, looking impressed by the turnout.

Endre Gran was Elijah’s and Honoria’s closest friend. He was also one of New Haven’s up and coming mechanics. He was a year older than Elijah and was a couple inches taller. These two things apparently gave him the license to act like Elijah’s elder brother. Today, like every day, he wore standard mechanic clothing: a silver long-sleeved shirt, goggles, suspenders and a utility belt that housed an assortment of tools.

I’ve already gone that way to look for a good place to watch the speech, Endre said, pointing in the direction he had come from.

Elijah looked in the direction of the town hall, desperate to find a good spot to hear the speech. But the more he looked about, the more he knew Endre’s advice to be true. The place was bursting at the seams. Endre hopped from foot to foot. Elijah turned to look at him, only to have his friend smile too eagerly at him. Elijah’s eyes narrowed because he knew the look: Endre was trying to keep some secret from slipping out.

Elijah smiled and said, You have a better spot in mind, don’t you?

I thought you’d never ask, Endre grinned, turning around. He kept his palm flat to his side and surreptitiously pointed at a building a block away. It was just left of the town hall. The top of that building has the greatest view of this entire area. If we watch from there, we won’t miss a thing.

We won’t be able to hear a thing from up there, Honoria said, the pitch of her voice rising in complain.

The Sanctum is sparing no expense on this gathering. They want to be heard, Endre said, rubbing his palms. He pointed to various spots on the city block. You see those things? They’re amplifiers.

Honoria looked around and saw that every other building within two blocks of the hall were fashioned with a set of voice amplifiers. From what Honoria could see, there would be no problem for anyone within a five-block radius to hear the speech loud and clear. You’ve really got this all figured out huh, Endre?

What can I say, I like to be prepared, Endre smiled and gave a nonchalant shrug.

And that’s why you can’t ever leave your pliers at work, Elijah said, gesturing to Endre’s utility belt. Lead the way, Mr. Fixit.

Mr. Fixit was a nickname Endre had got because he was always trying to fix things. As his interest in machinery grew, everyone who knew him began to call him by his nickname. He didn’t like it at first but tolerated it now. The three of them pushed their way through the waves of oncoming people to make it to the building Endre had pointed out. The crowd was swelling, and more people were on their way. Everyone had the same expectations in mind. They wanted to hear about the current situation with the Dominion straight from the horse’s mouth. More importantly, they wanted to know which of New Haven’s citizens would have their lives completely changed by being recruited into the Sanctum.

The Sanctum chose any number of prospects from each of the five cities of New Haven, Ethra, Hanging Garden, Hollow City, and Sonoma. The prospects were awarded the opportunity to use their skills for the good of the Sanctum. The host city had the benefit of learning who their prospects were during the speech. The other cities would find out about their prospects later, via official notification.

Getting into the Sanctum was an interesting process on its own. Many citizens worked tireless hours to be recruited; they wanted to escape their present lives and move on to something they hoped would be better. Others simply performed as they would normally, not knowing just how remarkable their efforts were. Then, a few were born with the ability to achieve great things. These individuals were the ones that the Sanctum’s seers – those who observed and decided on potential prospects – paid close attention to and ultimately enlisted.

Elijah made it first to the building first. He found a uniformed man standing in front of the entrance. It was obvious that the man was a hired security guard to keep pedestrians and uninvited guests from entering. Elijah waited a moment for Endre and Honoria to catch up before proceeding. How are we going to get in? he asked. He looked cautiously at the doorman.

Leave it to me, Honoria answered. She reached into the back pocket of her shorts that was hidden by her skirt and pulled out an obsidian card. The card was blank on one side and had her name and a barcode inscribed on the other. Elijah and Endre knew immediately what it was.

Eight years ago, at the tender age of ten, Honoria had traveled to New Haven City. Her father was considered a genius in his own right when he established the Sanctum’s new age surveillance system. The system used satellites in the earth’s atmosphere, along with satellites scattered throughout all the cities, to create a comprehensive, three-dimensional image of the world. It was possible to see a man quietly reading on a park bench or a bird perched on the ledge of a building – all in real-time. The Sanctum quickly grasped how powerful that kind of surveillance could be if used as a weapon. The project continued under the agreement that it would not be used against the people it was designed to protect.

Soon after, The Dominion received word of Mr. Eden’s project and insisted it be removed immediately. Honoria’s father refused and with the Sanctum’s blessing, launched his surveillance system. Threats often came to the Eden home after the launch. Honoria was sent away with her grandmother to live with her grandmother in New Haven where she would be safe.

The system was named The Honor System after Honoria. All rights and authority would be given to her should anything happen to Mr. or Mrs. Eden. The obsidian card she carried with her was proof of that. Elijah looked at the black card in Honoria’s hand. He thought back to the numerous times she had used it to bypass security. He remembered the day when he had worked ten straight days at New Haven’s steel farm. The job was taxing, but it paid well. It wasn’t often that he worked for such an extended period, but there were times when he had to. His clothes were ragged, and his bones ached. On the tenth day, he could no longer feel his hands. He was deprived of sleep and couldn’t hold a thought for more than a few seconds. His body operated solely on muscle memory. Elijah was ready to give up.

A miracle happened, and Honoria visited him. She had taken the rest of her day off and wanted to have lunch with Elijah. She saw the poor state he was in and immediately spoke with his supervisors. She flashed her black card and claimed she needed him for an urgent matter. All Elijah could remember after that was waking up in his bed that night with Honoria at his bedside.

Elijah, along with his friends, approached the man at the door. They donned their most casual looking expressions, hoping to hide the coming lie. Honoria smiled brilliantly at the man. It was the kind of smile you’d give to your long lost friend on finding them by a quirk of fate. Endre tried looking off into the distance so that is it would seem like his attention was occupied by something other than trying to sneak into a guarded building. Unlike his friends, Elijah had trouble finding a face that would fit the sham. He wasn’t very good at lying and was even worse at hiding it.

Calm down. Honoria’s got this, Endre said. He still maintained his thousand-yard stare – only now he was looking in Elijah’s direction.

I’m not as good at this as you two, Elijah whispered. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he gulped nervously.

Everyone be quiet and just act normal, Honoria said through her teeth, trying to maintain her overwhelming smile. Good morning, sir.

They had reached the doorman who, by this time, was staring suspiciously at the three friends. Honoria continued. My name is Honoria Eden. I’m here on official Sanctum business. She handed her black card to the man and smiled harder than ever.

The man looked at the back of the card and touched the barcode as if that would tell him something. He looked suspiciously at Honoria for a moment then turned his gaze to Elijah and Endre. Elijah could feel sweat beads beginning to form on his forehead. He had half a mind to wipe it away but feared it would only cause more suspicion. Endre continued staring off into the distance trying to avoid as much eye contact with the man as possible.

What’s wrong with your friend? the guard asked.

Honoria knew instinctively the guard meant Elijah and not Endre. She was surprised by the question, but her smile didn’t break. She had only moments to form a solid lie and pass it off as true.

Don’t mind him. He’s a little tense right now because the satellites on this building haven’t been communicating properly with the Honor system.

Honoria took a step forward trying to close the large, awkward gap between her and the rightfully suspicious man. My friend here was supposed to make sure all those bugs were fixed, but they’re not, so that’s why we’re here.

By now, streams of sweat were racing down Elijah’s cheek. The last thing he wanted was for this conversation to be about him. He remained silent, hoping